Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 249 (Monday, December 31, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67698-67700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-28410]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
49 CFR 1022
[Docket No. EP 716 (Sub-No. 4)]
Civil Monetary Penalties--2019 Adjustment
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is issuing a final
rule to implement the annual inflationary adjustment to its civil
monetary penalties, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation
Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
DATES: This final rule is effective on December 31, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathon Binet: (202) 245-0368.
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the hearing impaired:
(800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements
Act of 2015 (2015 Act), enacted as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of
2015, Public Law 114-74, 701, 129 Stat. 584, 599-601, requires agencies
to adjust their civil penalties for inflation annually, beginning on
July 1, 2016, and no later than January 15 of every year thereafter. In
accordance with the 2015 Act, annual inflation adjustments are to be
based on the percent change between the Consumer Price Index for all
Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for October of the
[[Page 67699]]
previous year and the October CPI-U of the year before that. Penalty
level adjustments should be rounded to the nearest dollar.
II. Discussion
The statutory definition of civil monetary penalty covers various
civil penalty provisions under the Rail (Part A); Motor Carriers, Water
Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders (Part B); and Pipeline
Carriers (Part C) provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act, as
amended. The Board's civil (and criminal) penalty authority related to
rail transportation appears at 49 U.S.C. 11901-11908. The Board's
penalty authority related to motor carriers, water carriers, brokers,
and freight forwarders appears at 49 U.S.C. 14901-14916. The Board's
penalty authority related to pipeline carriers appears at 49 U.S.C.
16101-16106.\1\ The Board has regulations at 49 CFR pt. 1022 that
codify the method set forth in the 2015 Act for annually adjusting for
inflation the civil monetary penalties within the Board's jurisdiction.
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\1\ The Board also has various criminal penalty authority,
enforceable in a federal criminal court. Congress has not, however,
authorized federal agencies to adjust statutorily prescribed
criminal penalty provisions for inflation, and this rule does not
address those provisions.
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As set forth in this final rule, the Board is amending 49 CFR pt.
1022 to make an annual inflation adjustment to the civil monetary
penalties in conformance with the requirements of the 2015 Act. The
adjusted penalties set forth in the rule will apply only to violations
that occur after the effective date of this regulation.
In accordance with the 2015 Act, the annual adjustment adopted here
is calculated by multiplying each current penalty by the cost-of-living
adjustment factor of 1.02522, which reflects the percentage change
between the October 2018 CPI-U (252.885) and the October 2017 CPI-U
(246.663). The table at the end of this decision shows the statutory
citation for each civil penalty, a description of the provision, the
adjusted statutory civil penalty level for 2018, and the adjusted
statutory civil penalty level for 2019.
III. Final Rule
The final rule set forth at the end of this decision is being
issued without notice and comment pursuant to the rulemaking provision
of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), which
does not require that process ``when the agency for good cause finds''
that public notice and comment are ``unnecessary.'' Here, Congress has
mandated that the agency make an annual inflation adjustment to its
civil monetary penalties. The Board has no discretion to set
alternative levels of adjusted civil monetary penalties, because the
amount of the inflation adjustment must be calculated in accordance
with the statutory formula. Given the absence of discretion, the Board
has determined that there is good cause to promulgate this rule without
soliciting public comment and to make this regulation effective
immediately upon publication.
IV. Regulatory Flexibility Statement
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, 5 U.S.C. 601-612,
generally requires an agency to prepare a regulatory flexibility
analysis of any rule subject to notice and comment rulemaking
requirements, unless the agency certifies that the rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Because the Board has determined that notice and comment are not
required under the APA for this rulemaking, the requirements of the RFA
do not apply.
V. Paperwork Reduction Act
This final rule does not contain a new or amended information
collection requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1022
Administrative practice and procedures, Brokers, Civil penalties,
Freight forwarders, Motor carriers, Pipeline carriers, Rail carriers,
Water carriers.
It is ordered:
1. The Board amends its rules as set forth in this decision. Notice
of the final rule will be published in the Federal Register.
2. This decision is effective on its date of publication in the
Federal Register.
Decided: December 20, 2018.
By the Board, Board Members Begeman and Miller.
Raina Contee,
Clearance Clerk.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1022
Administrative practice and procedure, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 1022 of title 49,
chapter X, of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:
PART 1022--CIVIL MONETARY PENALTY INFLATION ADJUSTMENT
0
1. The authority citation for part 1022 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 551-557; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 49 U.S.C.
11901, 14901, 14903, 14904, 14905, 14906, 14907, 14908, 14910,
14915, 14916, 16101, 16103.
0
2. In Sec. 1022.4, revise paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 1022.4 Cost-of-living adjustments of civil monetary penalties.
* * * * *
(b) The cost-of-living adjustment required by the statute results
in the following adjustments to the civil monetary penalties within the
jurisdiction of the Board:
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Adjusted Adjusted
U.S. code citation Civil monetary penalty description penalty amount penalty amount
2018 2019
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Rail Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 11901(a)......................... Unless otherwise specified, maximum $7,791 $7,987
penalty for each knowing violation
under this part, and for each day.
49 U.S.C. 11901(b)......................... For each violation under Sec. 779 799
11124(a)(2) or (b).
49 U.S.C. 11901(b)......................... For each day violation continues... 40 41
49 U.S.C. 11901(c)......................... Maximum penalty for each knowing 7,791 7,987
violation under Sec. Sec. 10901-
10906.
49 U.S.C. 11901(d)......................... For each violation under Sec. Sec. 155-779 159-799
11123 or 11124(a)(1).
49 U.S.C. 11901(d)......................... For each day violation continues... 78 80
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(1), (4)................. For each violation under Sec. Sec. 779 799
11141-11145, for each day.
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(2), (4)................. For each violation under Sec. 155 159
11144(b)(1), for each day.
49 U.S.C. 11901(e)(3)-(4).................. For each violation of reporting 155 159
requirements, for each day.
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[[Page 67700]]
Motor and Water Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 14901(a)......................... Minimum penalty for each violation 1,066 1,093
and for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14901(a)......................... For each violation under Sec. Sec. 10,663 10,932
13901 or 13902(c).
49 U.S.C. 14901(a)......................... For each violation related to 26,659 27,331
transportation of passengers.
49 U.S.C. 14901(b)......................... For each violation of the hazardous 21,327-42,654 21,865-43,730
waste rules under Sec. 3001 of
the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(1)...................... Minimum penalty for each violation 1,558 1,597
of household good regulations, and
for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(2)...................... Minimum penalty for each instance 15,583 15,976
of transportation of household
goods if broker provides estimate
without carrier agreement.
49 U.S.C. 14901(d)(3)...................... Minimum penalty for each instance 38,954 39,936
of transportation of household
goods without being registered.
49 U.S.C. 14901(e)......................... Minimum penalty for each violation 3,116 3,195
of a transportation rule.
49 U.S.C. 14901(e)......................... Minimum penalty for each additional 7,791 7,987
violation.
49 U.S.C. 14903(a)......................... Maximum penalty for undercharge or 155,820 159,750
overcharge of tariff rate, for
each violation.
49 U.S.C. 14904(a)......................... For first violation, rebates at 311 319
less than the rate in effect.
49 U.S.C. 14904(a)......................... For all subsequent violations...... 390 400
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(1)...................... Maximum penalty for first violation 779 799
for undercharges by freight
forwarders.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(1)...................... Maximum penalty for subsequent 3,116 3,195
violations.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(2)...................... Maximum penalty for other first 779 799
violations under Sec. 13702.
49 U.S.C. 14904(b)(2)...................... Maximum penalty for subsequent 3,116 3,195
violations.
49 U.S.C. 14905(a)......................... Maximum penalty for each knowing 15,583 15,976
violation of Sec. 14103(a), and
knowingly authorizing, consenting
to, or permitting a violation of
Sec. 14103(a) or (b).
49 U.S.C. 14906............................ Minimum penalty for first attempt 2,133 2,187
to evade regulation.
49 U.S.C. 14906............................ Minimum amount for each subsequent 5,332 5,466
attempt to evade regulation.
49 U.S.C. 14907............................ Maximum penalty for recordkeeping/ 7,791 7,987
reporting violations.
49 U.S.C. 14908(a)(2)...................... Maximum penalty for violation of 3,116 3,195
Sec. 14908(a)(1).
49 U.S.C. 14910............................ When another civil penalty is not 779 799
specified under this part, for
each violation, for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14915(a)(1)-(2).................. Minimum penalty for holding a 12,383 12,695
household goods shipment hostage,
for each day.
49 U.S.C. 14916(c)(1)...................... Maximum penalty for each violation 10,663 10,932
under Sec. 14916(a) by knowingly
authorizing, consenting to, or
permitting unlawful brokerage
activities.
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Pipeline Carrier Civil Penalties
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49 U.S.C. 16101(a)......................... Maximum penalty for violation of 7,791 7,987
this part, for each day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(1), (4)................. For each recordkeeping violation 779 799
under Sec. 15722, each day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(2), (4)................. For each inspection violation 155 159
liable under Sec. 15722, each
day.
49 U.S.C. 16101(b)(3)-(4).................. For each reporting violation under 155 159
Sec. 15723, each day.
49 U.S.C. 16103(a)......................... Maximum penalty for improper 1,558 1,597
disclosure of information.
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[FR Doc. 2018-28410 Filed 12-28-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P